 |  |  |  |  |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Visit our directory of manufacturers, suppliers and service providers
Search through years of
AIN past issues
Search through the latest
events and conferences
RSS Feed
FAA Issues New Advisory on In-cabin Lithium Fires
July 02, 2009
The FAA yesterday issued a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) regarding procedures for fighting fires caused by lithium batteries in portable electronic devices. Both the disposable and the rechargeable type batteries are capable of ignition and subsequent explosion, which can cause the release of either molten burning lithium or a flammable electrolyte....
moreFrench Investigators Conclude Air France Flight 447 Did Not Break Apart in Flight
July 02, 2009
The condition of the wreckage recovered from that Air France A330-200 that plunged into the Atlantic Ocean on June 1 indicates that the airplane broke apart upon hitting the water, not while in flight as previously hypothesized, according to an interim report issued by the French civil aviation accident investigation bureau (BEA) today. “The elements...
moreDHS IG raps TSA for its anti-GA campaign
July 01, 2009
General aviation operations present such a limited and hypothetical threat to security that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) does not need to increase its regulatory oversight of general aviation, according to a report issued by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General (OIG). The TSA is part of the DHS.The report,...
moreFSI Trains Laid-off Pilots at no cost
July 01, 2009
FlightSafety International launched the Proficiency Protection Program, which is intended to help maintain the currency of business aircraft pilots and maintenance technicians who have been laid off since January 1. Under the program, FlightSafety will offer a no-cost recurrent training course to pilots of business aircraft who were training under a...
moreTSA may change LASP
July 01, 2009
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) appears to be taking seriously the 7,000-plus submitted comments opposing the proposed large aircraft security program (LASP) regulations. John Sammon, TSA assistant administrator for transportation sector network management, soothed attendees at the NATA Air Charter Summit last month when he said, “We rely...
moreIndustry agrees on airline safety regs
July 01, 2009
Following congressional hearings last month on the February crash of a twin-engine turboprop near Buffalo, N.Y., senior officials from U.S. airlines, pilot unions and the FAA agreed in a closed-door meeting June 15 to several major actions to improve safety programs and pilot training at the nation’s airlines.Just days after taking office, FAA Administrator...
moreNATA Summit covers criminalization in aviation
July 01, 2009
In September 2006, days after an ExcelAire Services Embraer Legacy 600 and a Gol Airlines Boeing 737 collided over the Amazon jungle in Brazil, an international group of flight safety organizations passed a resolution declaring that “the paramount consideration in an aviation accident investigation should be to determine the probable cause of and...
moreIndustry Still Confused about SMS
July 01, 2009
To clear up continuing confusion about safety management systems, FAA Flight Standards SMS office manager Don Arendt told attendees at last month’s NATA Air Charter Summit that while SMS “is a set of decision-making practices,” it isn’t a substitute for compliance. While ICAO’s Annex 6 took effect on January 1, requiring countries to implement SMS...
morePC-12, CRJ200 in Near Ground Collision
July 01, 2009
According to the NTSB, a runway incursion that occurred on May 29 at Charlotte (N.C.) Douglas International Airport involving a PC-12 turboprop single and CRJ200 regional jet nearly resulted in a ground collision. At about 10:17 a.m. that day, the PSA Airlines CRJ200–operated as a US Airways Express flight–was cleared for takeoff on Runway 18L. After the...
moreERAU To Launch Aviation Wildlife Risk Center
July 01, 2009
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is opening an International Center for Aviation and Wildlife Risk Mitigation at its Prescott, Ariz. campus. The new center will bring together top aviation wildlife experts to share and develop new research and management solutions to reduce the dangers that animals pose to aircraft and serve as a resource to airports...
moreNTSB hearing is for the birds
July 01, 2009
While only one in five birdstrikes is ever reported, one unusual strike this past January 15, with an even more remarkable outcome, gained global attention and might bring advisories and eventually new certification and training standards to operators of all turbine-powered aircraft. On June 9 the NTSB opened a three-day hearing to focus on the emergency...
moreFatigue detection system can preempt human error
July 01, 2009
As business aviation has matured, the lessons learned from accidents and incidents have led to significant improvements in design, technology, materials and maintenance–all of which have made business jets one of the safest forms of transportation. Unfortunately, the near elimination of those elements as contrib- utors has served to magnify the role of...
moreDOT IG: ASAP Needs Work
July 01, 2009
A DOT Inspector General audit of the FAA aviation safety action program (ASAP) said that while ASAP is a “potentially valuable safety tool, we found that the FAA’s ineffective implementation and inadequate guidance have allowed inconsistent use and potential abuse of the program. ASAP, as currently implemented, is a missed opportunity.” ASAP is a joint FAA...
moreIt’s a bird; it’s a plane…it’s time to get serious about birdstrikes
July 01, 2009
I’m hoping that the next time Discovery Channel decides to do a special on Crashes that Changed Flying–and asks for my opinion–I’ll be able to point to Captain Sully’s landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the frigid waters of the Hudson River this past January as the accident that finally got something done about the dangers of birdstrikes.
I’ve sounded...
more